Let It Go

A Word from PJ

Let It Go

Scripture: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” – Colossians 3:13 (NIV)

There’s a heavy weight that many believers carry around unknowingly a quiet, invisible burden that settles into the heart and refuses to budge. It’s not always dramatic. It doesn’t always show up with loud arguments or slammed doors. Sometimes it settles in with a sigh, a gritted jaw, or the cold silence that replaces once joyful conversation. It’s called a grudge.

Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to suffer. It’s a slow, bitter toxin that robs us of peace, steals our joy, and clogs the pipeline of God’s blessings in our lives. While we may feel justified in our pain, and while the wounds others have inflicted may be real, holding on to that bitterness only tightens the chains around our own hearts.

God has called us to something better. In Colossians 3, Paul gives us a hard but holy instruction: “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Now, that’s a tall order. God’s forgiveness isn’t halfway. It’s not given with strings attached. It’s full, complete, and undeserved and yet He offers it freely. The same grace that picked us up out of our mess is the grace we are called to extend to others, even when they don’t ask for it… even when they don’t deserve it.

Releasing a grudge isn’t about saying what happened was okay. It’s not denying the pain or pretending everything is fine. Forgiveness is about trusting God enough to place justice in His hands and peace in ours. It’s not about letting the offender off the hook it’s about unhooking ourselves from the prison of pain.

I’ve seen too many people miss out on their purpose because they were too busy replaying the hurt. I’ve counseled believers who haven’t spoken to a family member in years over a comment made at a funeral. I’ve prayed with church members who’ve been in the same sanctuary for decades but haven’t shared a word with someone sitting three pews over. That’s not victory. That’s spiritual paralysis.

Jesus came to set the captive free. If that includes freedom from sin, it must also include freedom from bitterness.

Reflection:

Is there someone you’ve been silently resenting? Someone who wronged you, lied about you, betrayed you, or let you down? Be honest with God and with yourself. What would it look like to release that burden today? Not to excuse them, but to entrust them to God. Think of the emotional and spiritual energy you could reclaim by letting that grudge go. Forgiveness doesn’t make you weak—it makes you free.

Prayer:

Father, I confess that sometimes I’ve clung to my pain more than I’ve clung to Your promises. I’ve held onto anger, bitterness, and resentment, believing it would protect me from more hurt but all it’s done is distance me from Your peace. Help me today to let it go. Give me the grace to forgive, not because they deserve it, but because You forgave me when I didn’t deserve it either. Set me free from this burden, Lord. I want to live in the fullness of Your love, unshackled by grudges and rooted in grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Love you,

PJ